Movies for St. Patrick's Day

By Thomas Leupp

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Ahh, St. Patrick's Day -- a time when all Americans, regardless of ethnicity, can don a silly green hat and drink themselves into oblivion, just like us Irish folks do everyday. Before you start mainlining Guinness, hand your keys to a designated driver and check out this look at some Irish-themed flicks:

This charming little comedy about humble rural townsfolk who catch lottery fever helped dispel the stereotype of the Irish as violent drunkards, replacing it with an equally inaccurate stereotype of the Irish as humble rural townsfolk.

It's hard to believe that John Ford's classic, starring John Wayne as a retired boxer who moves to Ireland and falls for spunky Irish lass Maureen O'Hara, almost never got made. Studios largely shunned the project; one particularly myopic studio exec even derided it as "a silly Irish story that won't make a penny." The Quiet Man went on to become a commercial and critical success, winning a pair of Academy Awards in 1952.

Ron Howard's period piece about plucky Irish-American immigrants won accolades for its visual splendor and criticism for its shallow, formulaic storyline. Far and Away's most egregious error, however, was having Enya -- Ireland's Celine Dion -- on its soundtrack.

This is basically what Far and Away would have looked like if Scorsese had directed it instead of Howard: brutal, bloody, brimming with over-the-top gore. Oh, and U2 on the soundtrack. No freakin' Enya.

The 'Leprechaun' Movies

I wants me gold!!! Unlike most horror franchises, the Leprechaun (1992) actually got better with each subsequent sequel, hitting its zenith with the fifth installment, Leprechaun in the Hood (2002). Yes, Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood (2003) was a bitter disappointment, but only because of the high expectations created by its predecessor.

An American movie starring two American actors (Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt) about sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland. Not surprisingly, critics and historians (not to mention Ford and Pitt, eventually) decried the film for its "history lite" approach. Those looking for a more accurate take on Irish history should check out Michael Collins or In the Name of the Father.

Scorsese's second Irish-themed film is said to be based in part on the exploits of notorious Boston mob boss James J. "Whitey" Bulger. Striking a blow for equality, The Departed definitively proved that Irish gangsters can be every bit as violent and treacherous as their more renowned Italian counterparts.

Those with the stamina to sit through Stanley Kubrick's marathon epic (184 minutes!) about a rogue Irishman's rise and fall in 19th century British society will be wowed by the film's groundbreaking visual style, which won Academy Awards for its cinematography, costume design and art direction.

No list of Irish-themed movies would be complete without this 1959 good-natured collection of stereotypes from Disney. It's got everything: banshees, leprechauns, pots of gold and more. It also features Scottish icon Sean Connery in his first -- and thankfully last -- singing role.